Cyprus marks 51 years since 40,000 Turkish soldiers descended on the island on 20 July, 1974, seizing more than 35% of its territory in a two-phase monthlong offensive.

Nicosia

Cyprus is marking 51 years since the Turkish invasion that resulted in the island's partition. The invasion began after a coup by Greek Cypriot nationalists, supported by the Greek junta, aimed to unite Cyprus with Greece. Turkey intervened, citing the need to protect the Turkish Cypriot minority, and launched a large-scale military operation involving over 40,000 troops and air assaults.

The conflict lasted about a month, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 3,000 Cypriots, mostly civilians, and the displacement of around 200,000 Greek Cypriots. By the end of the second phase of the invasion, Turkish forces controlled over 35% of the island, a situation that remains unresolved to this day.

Cyprus marks 51 years since Turkish invasion that led to partition

On the morning of 20 July 1974, sirens sounded across the island nation of Cyprus warning that an invasion was underway. Over 40,000 Turkish troops descended in Kyrenia, north of Cyprus, while Ankara's air forces carried out an aerial assault campaign. The Turkish invasion came just five days after Greek Cypriot nationalists, supported by the Greek junta, staged a coup to overthrow the country's democratically elected president, Archbishop Makarios III. The nationalists, fighting under the Cypriot National Guard seal, aimed to overthrow Makarios and unite the Mediterranean island with Greece in a movement known as Enosis. Makarios managed to flee Cyprus through Paphos and arrived in New York where he delivered a speech on July 19th condemning the coup and denouncing the unification intent. By then, Ankara's military preparations had already been put in place and the invasion was carried out the following morning. Turkey insists that it had to intervene to protect the Turkish Cypriot minority. Fighting took place for a month where Turkish forces are estimated to have killed some 3,000 Cypriots, mainly civilians. The military standoff was heavily mismatched as Cypriot troops fought without air cover or modern weaponry. In mid-August, Turkey launched the second phase of its invasion, codenamed Attila II, which saw its forces advance and occupy large stretches of land. By the end of their second offensive, Ankara had controlled over 35% of the island, which to this day it still illegally occupies. As many as 200,000 Greek Cypriots were displaced from their homes and were forced to flee south in the month-long offensive.

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Breakdown